Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1887-01-18
TnEFREE DELIVERY SYSTEM.
Full Text OF the Law Approved JAM
nary 3, 1887.

As there is considerable interest
felt by our citizens in the free de-
livery system, and the question has
been raised whether it is necessary
for our citizens to make application
to the post Office department to Sc
cure the benefit of the free delivery,
we publish below copy of the law
which has been furnished us, under
which the free delivery system is
extended, in order that those inter
ested may understand and see how
far it applies to Annapolis:
BE IL Enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Con-
gress assembled, That letter carriers
shall be employed for the free de-
livery of mail matter, as frequent as
public business may require, at every
incorporated city, village, or bo-
borough containing population of
fifty thousand within its corporate
limits, and may be SO employed at
every place containing population
of. not less than ten thousand, with
in its corporation limits, according
to the last general census, taken by
authority of the State or United
States law, or at any post office
which produced gross revenue, for
the preceding fiscal year, of not less
than ten thousand dollars: Pr0vided,
This act shall not affect the existence
Of the free delivery in places where
it is now established: ind pr0rided
further, That in offices where the
free delivery shall be established
under the provisions of this act,
such free delivery shall not be
abolished by reason of decrease be-
low ten thousand i'll population or
ten thousand dollars in gross postal
revenue, except i'll the discretion of
the Postmaster General.
See. ?. That there may be in all
cities which contain population of
seventy-fye thousand or more three
classes of letter carriers, as follows:
Carriers of the first class, who
salaries shall be one thousand dol
lars per annum: of the second class,
who salaries shall be eight hundred
dollars per annum; and of the third
class, whose salaries shall be six
hundred dollars per annum.
Sec. ). That in places containing
population of less than seventy
FIVE thousand there may be two
classes Of letter carriers, as follows:
Carriers of the second class, whose
salaries shall be eight hundred and
fifty dollars per annum, and of the
third class, whose salaries shall be
six hundred dollars per annum.
Sec. 4. That all laws inconsistent
herewith are hereby repealed.
The wording of the above act
would seem to indicate that the free
delivery would be introduced in all
towns having the requisite qualifi-
cations as to population or postal
revenue: there is nothing to indicate
that giving the privilege to any
particular place is left in the dis
cretion Of the Postmaster General
or that the citizens can decide the
matter for themselves. The only
wording that might raise doubt
as to whether the introduction of
the system would necessarily follow
in every town possessing the quail
fications is that while ''shall' is
used concerning the carriersin cities
of of 100000 .'may" is employed
regarding those of1O, 900 population
or with SIC, 900 gross postal revenue.
Under this law Annapolis would
only be entitled to its benefits under
the $40, 900 clause, as her population
does not exceed 10000 as required
by this act.
A poor man thinks it very hard
that he should beout of work and
without one cent when there are
$40, 600, 900 lying idle in the public
traasnrv V'hir xporld,s rnads orc